Conte short of answers after debacle
Print Edition
AFTER 20 months in charge during which he has fielded 49 players and tried a host of different tactical formations, Italy coach Antonio Conte seems no nearer to finding a team which his countrymen can get enthusiastic about.
Italy briefly raised hopes with a lively performance in last week’s 1-1 draw against Spain only to have them brought straight back down again on Tuesday as Conte’s side was outclassed and thumped 4-1 by Germany.
As usual, Conte praised his players for their effort, something he feels necessary to emphasize after every game, even though most people would expect nothing less from professional footballers representing their country.
“I can’t reprimand the lads who had given everything they can in terms of effort, will and determination,” he said. “But it wasn’t enough. There is a gap we have to make up when we face some teams.”
But there were few clues as to what Italy will look like when it faces Belgium in their opening Euro 2016 Group E game in Lyon on June 13.
Conte’s spell in charge has been strangely uninspiring, especially for a passionate man, who is famous for halftime dressing-room outbursts where he throws bottles of fizzy mineral water against the walls.
He has chopped and changed his team, argued with clubs over the release of players for training camps and sparked a row by including foreign-born players.
Even last year, the Italian federation had to deny rumors that he would quit and two weeks ago, Conte announced that he would not renew his contract after Euro 2016, saying he missed the day-to-day buzz of club football.
Italy came through its qualifying group comfortably enough, with seven wins and three draws in their 10 games.
But the over-riding feeling was that it was going through the motions as it won five games by a single goal, including home and away 1-0 victories over Malta.
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